10 Tips for Decorating on a Budget

Most people are looking for great ways to save money on home décor, but still keep the designer look they are seeking. There are many ways to accomplish this. Below are some fantastic ways to decorate on a budget.

1. Re-use existing items -- This is one of the best ways to save money! In fact, you won’t spend any money at all. Take an inventory of items in your home and try to look at them in a different light. Sometimes we get so used to seeing things in the same place, that we don’t even consider using them in a different way. Just try moving things around, and you may come up with something you love!
   
   
2. Paint, Paint, Paint! –- One of the best ways to completely change the look of a room, and for only a few dollars per room! Try new colors that you never thought of. Go to the paint store and pick out some samples. You can even buy a small container and test it out first. Budget decorating requires that you use paint to update and change the looks of things, whether it’s a whole room, a piece of furniture, or creating new artwork.
   
   
3. Make Artwork –- This can be done by salvaging old items, or creating new works of art from photographs, canvasses, or a collage of interesting items or shadowboxes. Artwork is an important part of any interior design.
   
   
4. Clean up your act –- Clear out all the clutter so that people can see the beautiful rooms you have created. Sometimes starting with a blank (or somewhat blank) canvas can give you a new perspective on your spaces.
   
   
5. Dress your windows –- You get a lot of “bang for your buck” with window treatments, because they take up so much vertical space in the room, and draw the eye upward. Try looking online at different types of window treatments and see which kind you would like. Some of the easiest ones to install or create include mini-blinds, wood blinds, plain flat valances, square cornices, and pinch-pleated drapes. However, the array of window treatments available is endless.
   
   
6. Try new shops –- Such as thrift shops, consignment stores, and auctions to find new and interesting items. You may come across a great conversation piece, or an antique that is worth much more than you pay for it!
   
   
7. Illuminate! –- Be sure that your new design has plenty of lighting. It would be a shame to spend time and effort creating a new room, and the details not get noticed. Lighting is also a great way to add accents and unique touches to your budget design.
   
   
8. Don’t buy everything you see –- Just because it’s cheap, it doesn’t mean you should buy it. If it doesn’t work for your room, you won’t like it when you get it home. You will just be stuck with an old piece of junk with nowhere to put it. Focus on buying things that you have planned for and budgeted for.
   
   
9. Have a Plan –- Know what furniture you need (and don’t need), what your color scheme is, and what your style is. This way, you won’t waste time and money by purchasing things that you don’t need, and don’t like. Budget decorating is all about know what is a good deal and what isn’t.
   
   
10. Have Fun –- Don’t get stressed out over your room! Sometimes it takes time, and trial and error to get it right. Just make sure to have fun and enjoy the process of making your rooms beautiful as well as enjoying the end result.

Find more great ideas for budget decorating at Designing On A Budget and Sullivan Interiors. Angela Sullivan is an Interior Designer and budget decorating enthusiast. This article may be reproduced as long as it is not changed, and remains intact, including all links and this statement.

Article Source: Ezine @rticles

Scrapbooking

Hello ladies... I'm hooked on scrapbooking :)

Definition: Scrapbooking: The creative art of taking books with blank pages and adding photos, memorabilia, journaling, and embellishments. The primary purpose of scrapbooking is to preserve memories for future generations, but a secondary purpose often is to exercise your creativity as you display your memories in a scrapbook. Also Known As: cropping, scrapping, making scrapbooks

:)

Mummy in a hurry - Part 2

Chicken Tikka Masala Pasta

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:
400gm minced chicken
½ packet of spaghetti ( I prefer San Remo’s – available at Cold Storage)
½ onion
1 potato
4 tablespoons Tikka Masala paste (I prefer Patak’s – available at Cold Storage)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Light cooking cream (available at supermarkets)
Salt to taste

The method:
1. Boil the spaghetti until tender in a large pot. Add some salt and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil while boiling.
2. Rinse the cooked spaghetti under cold running water for 5 seconds.
3. Dice onion. Peel and dice the potato.
4. Heat olive oil on a medium sized pan on low fire.
5. Saute onion until yellowish.
6. Set the fire to medium and add in Tikka Masala paste.
7. Stir for a while.
8. Add in the minced chicken and diced potato and stir until they're coated with the paste.
9. Let the chicken cook in its juice for awhile before adding in 1 cup of plain water followed by light cooking cream.
10. Stir continuously while the sauce boils.
11. Add salt (if needed).
12. Turn the fire off once the sauce seems thick enough to your liking.
13. Serve the sauce with spaghetti.

20 Questions to Ask Before You Get Married

Question #1: What percentage of our income are we prepared to spend to purchase and maintain our home on a monthly or annual basis?

Question #2: Who is responsible for keeping our house and yard cared for and organized? Are we different in our needs for cleanliness and organization?

Question #3: How much money do we earn together? Now? In one year? In five years? Ten? Who is responsible for which portion? Now? In one year? Five? Ten?

Question #4: What is our ultimate financial goal regarding annual income, and when do we anticipate achieving it? By what means, and through what efforts?

Question #5: What are our categories of expense (rent, clothing, insurance, travel)? How much do we spend monthly, annually, in each category? How much do we want to be able to spend?

Question #6: How much time will each of us spend at work, and during what hours? Do we begin work early? Will we prefer to work into the evening?

Question #7: If one of us doesn't want to work, under what circumstances, if any, would that be okay?

Question #8: How ambitious are you? Are we comfortable with the other's level of ambition?

Question #9: Am I comfortable giving and receiving love sexually? In sex, does my partner feel my love for him or her?

Question #10: Are we satisfied with the frequency of our lovemaking? How do we cope when our desire levels are unmatched? A little? A lot? For a night? A week? A month? A year? More?

Question #11: Do we eat meals together? Which ones? Who is responsible for the food shopping? Who prepares the meals? Who cleans up afterward?

Question #12: Is each of us happy with the other's approach to health? Does one have habits or tendencies that concern the other (e.g., smoking, excessive dieting, poor diet)?

Question #13: What place does the other's family play in our family life? How often do we visit or socialize together? If we have out-of-town relatives, will we ask them to visit us for extended periods? How often?

Question #14: If we have children, what kind of relationship do we hope our parents will have with their grandchildren? How much time will they spend together?

Question #15: Will we have children? If so, when? How many? How important is having children to each of us?

Question #16: How will having a child change the way we live now? Will we want to take time off from work, or work a reduced schedule? For how long? Will we need to rethink who is responsible for housekeeping?

Question #17: Are we satisfied with the quality and quantity of friends we currently have? Would we like to be more involved socially? Are we overwhelmed socially and need to cut back on such commitments?

Question #18: What are my partner's needs for cultivating or maintaining friendships outside our relationship? Is it easy for me to support those needs, or do they bother me in any way?

Question #19: Do we share a religion? Do we belong to a church, synagogue, mosque or temple? More than one? If not, would our relationship benefit from such an affiliation?

Question #20: Does one of us have an individual spiritual practice? Is the practice and the time devoted to it acceptable to the other? Does each partner understand and respect the other's choices?


source from oprah's marriage & dating.

Mummy in a hurry

Recipe name: Chicken Capsicum
Creation date: 5th September 2007
Test date: 5th September 2007
Prep time : 20 minutes

Ingredients

350 gm chicken fillet (cut into smaller pieces)
1 green capsicum
1/2 onion
4 garlic
1 cm ginger
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of tumeric powder (fresh tumeric is preferred)
Cooking oil

Preparing it

1. Combine garlic and ginger in the 'lesung batu' and pound them wholeheartedly.
2. In a 'tumericproof' bowl, marinate chicken fillet with the garlic/ginger paste, salt and tumeric powder for about 10 minutes.
3. Slice capsicum and onion thinly.

4. Heat 4 tablespoons of cooking oil in your teflon layered wok with medium fire.
5. Fry the marinated chicken fillet to your liking (juicy, dry, semi-brownish etc). Your kitchen will be filled with the aroma and your salivating children will be waiting behind you with plates in their hands.

6. Throw in onion and capsicum into the wok. Stir gently to even out your wok's content.
7. Lower the fire and cover the wok. Cook for 3 more minutes or until capsicum becomes tender.
8. Ready to be served with steamed rice and 'sambal belacan'.

** Aren't you feeling hungry already?
As usual, didn't get the chance to snap some pics because before I knew it, chicken capsicum was already gone (into 4 tummies).

Hello

It's been a while since the last post... I just wanna say hi to everyone... InsyaAllah will update soon :)

Happy Mother's Day

To all beautiful loving mothers ....................
Your love and passion towards what you have around you

are as pure and beautiful as the Callas

May your day be filled with love and happiness, always.

The 11 Biggest Time Management Lies

In the world of Time Management there are things said to us that we accept as truth and we act accordingly. The problem is sometimes they are not truths. They are lies and as we believe them, they waste our time.

Those who speak these lies to us are not bad people at all because you and I are among them. We all speak these untruths to one another from time to time. So let's not wish harm and doom to the liars. Let's avoid the time traps their lying may cause us.

Here are the eleven biggest lies to shield yourself from.

1. "This will just take a minute."

Has anyone grabbed you with that line? Does it ever "just take a minute"? Rarely. What typically "just takes a minute", generally consumes several minutes and more.

Next time, when someone asks for your time and assures you," This will just take a minute", tell them, "You're lying. You may not realize you're lying, but you are. I'll give you five minutes. You may begin now."

2. "I need this as soon as possible."

No you don't. That's a lie too. You need it by a certain date and time because you are going to do something with what I provide for you. And if you're not going to do anything with what I provide for you, why am I doing it for you in the first place?

Don't lie to me. Tell me when I have to get it to you. Be specific. You and I probably have two difference dates in mind when we think in terms of "as soon as possible".

3. "I want this now."

I doubt it. In this 24/7/365 world, everyone is under a sense of artificial pressure to get it done "now" or worse," yesterday".

Things are generally not that urgent. Don't get caught up in someone else's urgent trivialities.

Call the liar to task. "I'm not sure I can get that done now. What if I got it to you one week from today?" Use an outside deadline to give yourself ample time to prevent getting into crisis management.

Oh, and if they reject that alternative, try three better dates for you. Why? Because they may keep lying to you.

4. "It's not about the money."

When it's not about the money, it's about the money.

5. "This is the best (investment, business opportunity, book, movie, restaurant, boss, job, etc.) you'll ever find."

Not true. There's always something better. The best is yet to come.

6. "I can get this done in an hour."

It's a fib. Ever notice how it almost always takes twice as long to get something done as what you thought it would? That's because few of us have a very accurate internal clock to estimate the time required to complete most tasks.

7. "He's a' late' person."

Most people who are "late" have a consistency about their behavior. My friend Dwayne is 20 minutes late all the time. If we need to meet for lunch tomorrow, it will take him 24 hours and twenty minutes to get there.

Dwayne is not "late". He's "On-time; 20 minutes later".

8."No Cost." You don't get "nothing for nothing".

Everything has a cost. It may not cost you your money but more often it will be your time and more of it than what you are getting in return for "no cost".

9. "I'll prove you're wrong if it's the last thing I do."

And it may well be. No one wants to be proven wrong. Everyone likes to be caught doing things "right". Most, however, don't mind being shown how to do things better.

10. "By the time I show him how to do it I could just as quickly have done it myself."

If it's a one-time proposition this may be true. It doesn't make a lot of sense to spend an hour to show someone how to do a task that takes only 10 minutes.

But if it's a repetitive task, it's a lie. If that one hour investment will save you 10 minutes every day, then in about a week you have your investment back and now you have a dividend of 10 extra minutes a day. What if you do that six different times? You get an extra hour in your day and 365 hours over the next year.

11. "This is going to be really hard."

Not true. Going through whatever you have to go through is almost never as difficult as you imagined it to be.

Mr. Smith, my high school principal, taught me that 95% of what we fear coming at us will never hit us. It will ditch itself before it ever reaches us. And as to the remaining 5%, God has given us the tools to deal with it.

Written by Dr. Donald E. Wetmore

---

Dr. Donald E. Wetmore, a full-time Professional Speaker, is one of the foremost experts on Time Management and the author of "Beat the Clock" and "Organizing Your Life". He is a professional speaker and president of Productivity Institute Time Management Seminars, 60 Huntington St., P.O. Box 2126 Shelton, CT 06484 (800) 969-3773 (203) 929-9902 Email: ctsem@msn.com Web: http://www.balancetime.com

Article courtesy of www.businessknowhow.com

The Human Gifts

When ever we have stimulus coming to us (it can be behaviours, an action, words people say to us, problem occurs etc), we have FREEDOM TO CHOOSE our responses. However, more often than not, we tend to choose the response that we will regret later. How can we overcome this?

I would like to share with all of you readers today, (compliments of Stephen R. Covey), what are our Four Human Gifts that if we hold on to it, we will always be the proactive people, who will choose the appropriate response first time, every time.

The four human gifts are:
1. Self Awareness
- examine our thinking & motives
2. Imagination
- ability to create in our minds beyond present reality
3. Conscience
- internal guiding system
- allow us to sense when acting with or against principles
4. Independet Will
- capacity to act freely based on our own self awareness
- free from other influences

I leave you to reflect on this gifts, and where@how@why have we lost them, because as a child before, we are a different human being - we are what we are. As an adult? Share your thoughts with us here at Pourtavie!

(the below are examples of how as a child before, we use our four gifts in creative ways...)

Kids Think Quick

TEACHER : Maria, go to the map and find North America
MARIA : Here it is!
TEACHER : Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS : Maria!

TEACHER : Why are you late, Frank?
FRANK : Because of the sign.
TEACHER : What sign?
FRANK : The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow."

TEACHER : John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN : You told me to do it without using tables!

TEACHER : Glenn, how do you spell "crocodile?"
GLENN : K-R-O-K-O-D- A-I-L"
TEACHER : No, that's wrong
GLENN : Maybe it s wrong, but you asked me how I spell it!

TEACHER : Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD : H I J K L M N O!!
TEACHER : What are you talking about?
DONALD : Yesterday you said it's H to O!

TEACHER : Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we
didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE : Me!

TEACHER : Millie, give me a sentence starting with "I."
MILLIE : I is...
TEACHER : No, Millie..... Always say, "I am."
MILLIE : All right... "I am the ninth letter of the alphabet."

TEACHER : Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?
TINO : Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day, same time."

TEACHER : George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry
tree, but also admitted doing it. Now, Louie, do you why his father didn't punish him?"
LOUIS : Because George still had the ax in his hand.

TEACHER : Clyde , your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same
as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, teacher, it's the same dog!;

TEACHER : Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking
when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD : A teacher.

Dining Etiquette For The Fast-food Generation

By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP
Bremer Communications

Everyone needs an etiquette book on his or her shelf, one of those five-pound encyclopedias of everything related to manners. I think it should be a mandatory gift to every graduate, right along with the PDA and new briefcase. I received one when I finished high school and I still have it on my bookshelf. It's a little dog-eared, but the advice within isn't showing its age (unlike its owner).

Why is this book so important? You'll be glad you have it when you're faced with an invitation to a formal event. It will teach you first how to properly respond to the invitation and then, how to eat that multi-course meal with dozens of utensils, plates and glasses. It can help you plan a wedding, teach you how to write a letter, even how to get along with your co-workers.

But in this fast-food era, many people have forgotten - or were never taught - the fundamentals of dining etiquette. Which way should I pass? Which fork is mine? What do I do with my napkin? What follows are the answers to the basic questions many people have about dining. (If you need advice on how to combine business with a meal, please read "The Business Lunch" posted in the "Image Insights" archives.)

The first thing to do after being seated at a table is to immediately place your napkin in your lap. Unfold it into either a large triangle or rectangle. Never use your napkin as a tissue, but have one close by if you think you'll need to wipe your nose during the meal. Ladies should blot their lipstick with a tissue before eating so that they don't soil the cloth napkin and glassware. Don't flip over your coffee cup or other glassware you won't be using. If a beverage is served during the meal that you don't want, simply hold your hand over the cup and say, "No thank you."

If you have to leave the table during the meal, say a soft "excuse me" to the people on either side of you, leave your napkin on your chair (not the table) and push the chair under the table as you leave.

As you look at your place setting, remember that solids are on the left and liquids are on the right. In other words, your bread plate is on the left side above your forks and your drinking glasses are on the right side above the knife and spoons. Use silverware from the outside in. The first fork you will need will probably be your salad fork, the one farthest on the left. The larger fork directly to its right is your dinner fork. On the far right side of your place setting will most likely be a soup spoon, and on its left, a teaspoon followed by the knife. If you see utensils placed horizontally across the top of your place setting, save those for dessert. Remember - once a utensil has been used for eating, it never again touches the tablecloth, only the china!


Your "real estate" at a table consists of, not only your place setting, but also the other items directly in front of you. It is your responsibility to take notice of those things and initiate their use. Roll baskets, butter, cream, salad dressings, sugar, salt and pepper - if they're within your reach, pick them up and start them around. Pass to the right and refrain from helping yourself first. Those items should make a complete pass around the table before you get your turn. If you just can't stand not having first choice of the rolls, turn to your neighbor on your right and say, "Would you mind if I help myself first?" They'll always say yes. Whenever you pass something with a handle, such as dressings, pass it with the handle facing the other person so that they can grasp it easily. And always pass the salt and pepper as a set, even if only one was requested.

It's important that you place the butter first on the bread plate before buttering your bread. Break up your bread or rolls into one- or two-bite morsels for buttering and eating. Whatever you take up to your mouth to eat should be eaten in one or two consecutive bites. Your tablemates don't want to see the part that didn't quite fit in your mouth placed back on your bread plate!

To eat soup properly, draw the spoon away from you and quietly sip the soup from the side of the spoon. Tilt the bowl away from you to get to the last drops. When you're finished, place the spoon on the plate beneath the soup bowl. If there is no plate, rest the spoon in the bowl. Follow these same guidelines for any dessert served in a bowl.

Salads should be prepared so that they consist of bite-size pieces. But if the salad contains leaves that are too big to eat, use your salad fork to cut them into smaller pieces. And if that doesn't work, use your dinner knife. But only use the knife when all other methods have failed. Why? Because you'll also need that knife for the main course, and after you've used it for the salad, there's no place to put it so that it doesn't also disappear with the salad plate.

When eating the main course, pace your speed of eating to that of your tablemates so that you don't make them feel uncomfortable. In the United States, we eat "American Style". Here's how to do it. Cut your food with the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right hand. Cut only one piece at a time. Then lay your knife down along the top edge of the plate and transfer the fork to your right hand. Bring the food up to your mouth with the tines on the fork facing upward. Don't stab your food or hold the silverware with your fists. And be careful not to gesture or point with your silverware, whether or not it has food on it.

If you must remove something from your mouth as you eat, take it out the way it went in. In other words, if it entered your mouth on a fork, remove it with your fork. If it was finger food, use your fingers to remove it. Hold your napkin in front of your mouth to mask the removal, then place the item on the side of your plate. Don't try to hide it under the plate, because as soon as the plates are cleared it will be left behind on the tablecloth! Don't hide any paper trash you've accumulated during the meal under your plate either. Just place it on the edge of your bread plate.

At the conclusion of the meal, imagine your dinner plate as a clock and place your utensils in the 4:20 position. It's considered rude to push your plates away, stack them up or hand them to the server. Place your loosely-folded napkin on the table just as you stand to leave, not before.

Maneuvering through a meal doesn't have to be scary. Like all elements of etiquette, it boils down to common sense combined with kindness. Knowing the guidelines for dining etiquette gives you confidence so that you can relax and enjoy the meal and company. And in this fast-food age, it can also make you unforgettable!

Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP, owner of Bremer Communications, offers training, consulting and coaching in professional image development and presentation skills. Her clients include Oracle, Abbott Labs, W.W. Grainger, U.S. Department of Energy and the National Association of Realtors. She can be reached at 708-848-5945 or at www.bremercommunications.com

Copyright © 2004 Bremer Communications All Rights Reserved

Energy Vampires

Some people bring unexpected lightness and comfort to your life. They crackle with energy, practically electrify you with their presence. And then there are those who leave you feeling stressed out. Or guilty. Or exhausted down to your very last molecule. I call them energy vampires, and obnoxious or meek, they come in all forms. The sob sister, for one, always considers herself the victim. The world is always against her, and she'll recount every horrible thing that has happened to her, wallowing in every perceived slight. The charmer is a constant talker or joke-teller who has to be the center of attention. The blamer, on the other hand, doles out endless servings of guilt. And then there's the drama queen, the co-worker who claims she almost died from a high fever or the neighbor who lives in extremes of emotion—life is unbelievably good or horrifically bad.

No matter which type of energy vampire you're dealing with, you're allowed to walk away. Many of us find this really hard to do. We're afraid of being thought of as impolite; we don't want to offend people. But there are plenty of ways to remove yourself from a killing conversation. When leaving isn't an option, you can still maintain your energy level by making a few minor adjustments.

Recognize the Signs
One of the first things to do is to recognize when you're being drained, and that begins with tuning in to your physical reactions. Is there a tightening in your chest when a certain person enters the conversation? Do you feel tired when you hang up the phone after speaking with someone? Does your head ache, or do you feel what I call "slimed" when another guest at a cocktail party starts talking to you?

Take a Deep Breath
The moment you feel zapped—or hemmed in, or stressed out—I recommend taking a breath. Breathing is a wonderful way to center yourself. Just follow the breath and tell yourself that you know what's happening and you can deal with it. It's important to remember our individual power. I know from working with patients that we can lose it easily. The minute somebody comes in who's bossy or blaming, we feel diminished and tense up. If we can focus on the breath, or on an image of a striking sunset or a view from a mountaintop, the tension will drift away.

Use Your Energy
You can also use some of your own subtle energy to counter the effects of an energy vampire. Visualize a protective white light around you: an energy shield. You can still hear the person who's yelling at you or blaming you or pushing herself into your sphere, but she won't cut into you so viscerally anymore. You've created a buffer zone, where her negative influences can dissipate.

Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is another way of protecting yourself; you draw a line saying, for instance, "This is what I can do for you, and this is what I can't." You don't have to convince the vampire of the rightness of your stance. Getting defensive simply adds to the negative charge of the encounter. You want to remain neutral. When someone starts pushing your buttons, and you start sizzling inside, you've got to make the decision not to react.

Step Back
I also suggest you step back and think about what type of people aggravate you, because I believe that one law of energy is that we attract what we haven't yet worked out in ourselves. If I'm a very angry person, I'll find myself surrounded by angry people. By paying attention to the people who seem so draining, you might discover something you need to address. It has been my experience that once you've worked through a particular issue, you're no longer worn out by that kind of energy vampire. And the vampires, robbed of a source, move on to more easily drainable audiences.

by Judith Orloff, M.D.

xin nian kuai le

"happy new year to you"

on behalf of all the angels, may i wish you all the best of happiness and health.

kuE's note: more pics of the above can be viewed here ;)

Let's Celebrate Love!

I owe this to La Pour Ta Vie Community….

Since I have been very quiet these past few weeks, I feel that I have to share this with all of you in conjunction with the Day of Love……

(I got this from a friend)

The Meaning of Flowers..


BABY'S BREATH: Innocence.

BLUEBELL: Humility, constancy.

BUTTERCUP: Childishness.

CALLA LILY: Magnificent beauty. Associated with the sixth wedding anniversary.

CARNATION: Fascination, distinction, divine love, woman, yes. Also the birthflower for January.

CARNATION, PINK: A woman's love, I'll never forget you, mother's love.

CARNATION, PURPLE: Capriciousness.

CARNATION, RED: Alas for my poor heart, admiration, my heart aches for you, fascination.

CARNATION, STRIPED: Refusal, No, sorry I can't be with you.

CARNATION, WHITE: Innocence, faithfulness, sweet and lovely, pure love, ardent love, good luck. These lovely flowers have lasting qualities, and are often handed out on Mother's Day to symbolize the purity and strength of motherhood. They were handed out at the first Mother's Day service in 1908.

CARNATION, YELLOW: Disdain, rejection, you have disappointed me.

CHRYSANTHEMUM: Cheerfulness, optimism, rest, truth. Considered to be a noble flower in Asian culture, mums are used as an object of meditation per a suggestion by Confucius. Also the birthflower for November.

CHRYSANTHEMUM, RED: I love.

CHRYSANTHEMUM, WHITE: Truth, loyal love.

CHRYSANTHEMUM, YELLOW: Slighted love.

DAFFODIL: Regard, rebirth, new beginnings, unrequited love, you're the only one, chivalry. Associated with the tenth wedding anniversary. Also the birthflower for March.

DAFFODIL, SINGLE: Misfortune.

DAFFODIL, SEVERAL: Joy, happiness.

DAHLIA: Instability. Associated with the fourteenth wedding anniversary.

DAISY: Innocence, loyal love, I'll never tell, purity. Associated with the fifth wedding anniversary.

DAY LILY: Coquetry, Chinese emblem for mother. Associated with the twentieth wedding anniversary.

FORGET-ME-NOT: True love, hope, remembrance, memories.

HIBISCUS: Delicate beauty.

JASMINE, WHITE or INDIAN: Amiability , I attach myself to you, sensuality, attachment.

JASMINE, SPANISH: Sensuality.

JASMINE, YELLOW: Grace, elegance.

LAVENDER: Devotion.

LILAC: Youthful, humility, confidence.

LILY: Majesty, wealth, pride, innocence, purity.

LILY, WHITE: Purity, modesty, virginity, majesty, it's heavenly to be with you. The white lily is linked to Juno, the queen of the gods in Roman mythology, by the story that while nursing her son Hercules, some excess milk fell from the sky creating the group of stars we call the Milky Way, and lilies were created from what milk fell to the earth. The Easter lily is also known as the symbol of the Virgin Mary.

LILY, ORANGE: flame, I burn for you.

LILY, YELLOW: I'm walking on air, false, gay.

LILY OF THE VALLEY: Return of happiness, purity of heart, sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary, you've made my life complete, humility, happiness. The legend of the lily of the valley is that it sprang from Eve's tears when she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It is also believed that this flower protects gardens from evil spirits. Also known as the flower of May.

MAGNOLIA: Dignity, love of nature, nobility.

MARIGOLD: Affection, cruelty, grief, jealousy. The marigold was called Mary's Gold by early Christians who placed garlands of marigolds by statues of the Virgin Mary.

MARIGOLD, POT: Grief, despair.

MORNING GLORY: Loves you. Associated with 11th wedding anniversary.

ORCHID: Rare beauty, love, refinement, beautiful lady, Chinese symbol for many children, mature charm, beauty, long life. Associated with twenty-eighth wedding anniversary.

PANSIES: Receipient is being thought about. The flower's name comes from the French word pensée which means thought or remembrance. Associated with the first wedding anniversary.

ROSE: Love, passion, perfection. The rose was named for the Latin word rosa which means red. It has been a symbol of love since ancient times. Associated with the fifthteenth wedding anniversary. It is also known as the birthflower of June.

ROSE, BURGUNDY: Beauty within.

ROSE, CORAL: Desire.

ROSE, DARK CRIMSON: Mourning.

ROSE, HIBISCUS: Delicate beauty.

ROSE, LAVENDER: Love at first sight, enchantment.

ROSE, LEAF: You may hope.

ROSE, MOSS: Confessions of love.


ROSE, ORANGE: Fascination, display feeling of enthusiasm.

ROSE, PEACH: Desire, gratitude, apprecation, admiration, sympathy, modesty.

ROSE, PINK: Happiness, appreciation, admiration, friendship, sympathy.

ROSE, DARK PINK: Thankfulness.

ROSE, LIGHT PINK: Grace, gladness, joy, perfect happiness, please believe me, gratitude, admiration, gentility.

ROSE, RED: Love, passion, respect, courage, I love you, beauty, pure and lovely, prosperity.

ROSE, DEEP RED: Un-self-conscious beauty.

ROSE, SINGLE, FULL BLOOM: I love you, I still love you, new love.

ROSE, BUD, SMALL: Pure and lovely, beauty and youth, a heart innocent of love.

ROSE, THORNLESS: Love at first sight.

ROSE, WHITE: Innocence, purity, secrecy, I am worthy of you, silence, friendship, truth, virtue, girlhood, humility spiritual love, but of the soul, reverence, charm, happy love.

ROSE, WHITE, DRIED: Death is preferable to loss of virtue.

ROSE, YELLOW: Joy, friendship, true love, decrease of love, jealousy, try to care, freedom, slighted love, shows "I care", joy, gladness.

ROSES, BOUQUET, MATURE: Gratitude.

ROSES, RED & WHITE TOGETHER: Unity, flower emblem of England.

ROSES, YELLOW & RED TOGETHER: Happiness, congratulations.

ROSES, YELLOW & ORANGE TOGETHER: Passionate thoughts.

ROSEMARY: Remembrance, purity, rebirth.

SUNFLOWER: Follows the sun as it grows, adoration, haughtiness.

SWEET PEA: Lasting pleasure, good-bye, departure, blissful pleasure, thank you for a lovely

TULIP: Perfect lover, frame, flower emblem of Holland.

TULIP, RED: Believe me, declaration of love, fame.

TULIP, VARIEGATED: Beautiful eyes.

TULIP, YELLOW: Hopeless love, there's sunshine in your smile.

VIOLET: Modesty, faithfulness, innocence, understated beauty. Worn by the ancient Greeks to induce sleep and to calm tempers. Associated with the fifieth wedding anniversary. Also known as the birthflower of February.

VIOLET, BLUE: Watchfulness, faithfulness, I'll always be true.

VIOLET, PURPLE: Thoughts of you, blue love.

VIOLET, WHITE: Let's take a chance, youthful innocence.

VIOLET, YELLOW: Love of country.

WATER LILY: Purity of heart.

WEEPING WILLOW: Mourning.

Isn't life beautiful???

Seven Deadly Fashion Sins

Just as your body's systems can become gradually clogged and sluggish through bad diet and lack of exercise, so your sense of fashion and personal style can become bogged down through neglect, lack of knowledge and lack of time are all leading to bad habits that become a way of life.

Left unchecked, these bad habits can become so ingrained that they blind you to the possibilities of just how great you could look. The start of a New Year is the perfect time to establish a new code of dress conduct and banish your fashion bad habits for ever.

1. The Wretched Wardrobe

It's crammed with things that don't fit, you can't stand and you never wear. Have a good clean-out. Sort into five different piles: for the charity shop, dry-cleaning, alterations, favorites and possibles. Bin anything past its sell-by: i.e. anything faded, moth-eaten, ripped or stained. Decide on the basics that will refresh the pieces you intend to keep: a crisp white shirt? A great black T-shirt? A new pair of boots? A fabulous belt?

2. The Bad Bra

Research has shown that nearly 80 per cent of women are wearing the wrong size are either a cup size too small or a back size too big, or a combination of both. Nearly half of all B-cup-wearers, it seems, should be wearing a D-cup or above. Get fitted and make the best of your shape, silhouette and posture. Remember, the "new you" starts with the very first layer of clothing.

3. The Clone Queen

Are you a label victim?Do you wear one designer from head to foot, like Victoria Beckham who is Dolce & Gabbana one minute, Roberto Cavalli the next? Don't be afraid to inject a little of your own personality into what you buy. Make the look your own.

4. Same-old, Same-old Syndrome

Have you fallen into the trap of always wearing identikit outfits, like Elizabeth Hurley in her utterly predictable white jeans or split-to-the-thigh, cleavage dresses, Sienna Miller in her boho shifts and boots or any one of a horde of C-List celebs who can always be relied upon to turn up in minis and middy tops. If so, take inspiration from the likes of Emma Thompson and Helen Mirren, who are bold enough to reinvent themselves. Remember, vive le difference.

5. Buried in Boring Too tired to change?

Rather be safe than sorry? Do yourself a favor. Break open the mold and spring a surprise. Use the January sales to experiment. Promise yourself once a week to try on at least three things you would never have considered wearing before. If necessary close your eyes and pluck from the rails at random.

6. Color Coward

If your shelves resemble the inside of a Benetton shop, except every single item is navy, beige or black, it is time for shock treatment. Force yourself to buy at least three different colored things. Experiment with an orange scarf, a pair of purple shoes, a green cardigan, a fuschia belt, or even a pair of fishnet tights in color.

7. Stuck in a Groove

You have looked exactly the same for 20 years: same hair, same lipstick, same skirts, same shirts, same shoes. What are you trying to do? Set a record? Perhaps you think it makes you look youthful to wear, at 50, the clothes you wore at 25. Wrong! You don't just need a change of clothes, you need an overhaul. Throw out everything and start from scratch.
© 2007 Hilary Alexander

Factors Affecting Your Skin

Although your skin type is basically constant throughout your life, some lifestyle choices and environmental factors can affect how your skin behaves.

1. Sleep- Get 7-8 hours a night.
Benefit: Your skin renews itself by building new cells while you sleep.

2. Vitamin C- Eat vitamin C-rich foods and take a supplement for extra insurance.
Benefit: Vitamin C is a potent free-radical scavenger that's known for its corrective and preventative benefits for sun- and environmentally-damaged skin.

3. Water- Drink 6-8 glasses of filtered water per day.
Benefit: improved circulation and accelerated cell growth.

4. Exercise regularly
Benefit: moving around helps revive circulation and speeds blood flow to the surface of your skin. Added benefit: Exercise can help alleviate stress.

5. Stress- Relax your mind by exercising your body. Especially unclench your facial muscles. Benefit: Relieving stress can mean avoiding blemishes, hives, colour loss and under-eye circles. One more thing -- your mother was right: Habitually tense facial expressions can create permanent lines.

6. The "no-no's." Avoid them. Your skin hates alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, and will show you by losing moisture or forming wrinkles that make you look older sooner. Avoid the no-no's and get this benefit: You'll look younger longer. (Be aware that some medications can make skin more sensitive.)

7. Natural aging- As we age our skin becomes drier and loses elasticity, which can cause wrinkles and fine lines.
How to manage: Use a specially formulated age-defying moisturizer at night to nourish and renew your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

8. Sun is the most damaging of all environmental factors. Continued exposure damages and wrinkles your skin. Sun exposure is also a major cause of skin cancer.
How to manage: Avoid long exposure and use a facial moisturizer with sunscreen -- every day. At night use a renewal moisturizer to repair damage.

9. Low/high humidity- Low humidity robs your skin of essential moisture, while high humidity can make skin feel oily.
How to manage: Nourish your skin with a good moisturizer to fight low humidity. In high humidity, that oily feeling isn't moisture -- you still need a moisturizer that will help protect skin from dryness.

10. Extreme temperatures- Both cold and hot temperatures with low humidity deplete moisture from your skin and leave it tight and dry.
How to manage: Nourish skin with a good moisturizer. Another hint: Use lukewarm, not hot or cold water to rinse your face.

11. Wind- Strong wind, especially with extreme temperatures and low humidity, can cause dry, flaky skin.
How to manage: Re-hydrate with a good moisturizer.

12. Air pollution- Windborne dust, dirt, and smog can clog pores and choke your skin.
How to manage: Protect your skin with a good moisturizer that forms a "barrier" between you and that nasty stuff floating around you. Carefully cleanse and condition every night.

Men Are More Intelligent Than Women?

And so the study claims........

Ha ! Can you believe that?
eehhmmmmm.......... read on my friends, and you be the judge.

Battle of the sexes: Are men more intelligent than women?

It is research that is guaranteed to delight men - and infuriate the women in their lives. A controversial new study has claimed that men really are more intelligent than women.

The study - carried out by a man - concluded that men's IQs are almost four points higher than women's.

British-born researcher John Philippe Rushton, who previously created a furore by suggesting intelligence is influenced by race, says the finding could explain why so few women make it to the top in the workplace.

He claims the 'glass ceiling' phenomenon is probably due to inferior intelligence, rather than discrimination or lack of opportunity.

The University of Western Ontario psychologist reached his conclusion after scrutinising the results of university aptitude tests taken by 100,000 students aged 17 and 18 of both sexes.

A focus on a factors such as the ability to quickly grasp a complex concept, verbal reasoning skills and creativity - some of they key ingredients of intelligence - revealed the male teenagers had IQs that were an average of 3.63 points higher. The average person has an IQ of around 100.

The findings, which held true for all classes and levels of parental education, overturn a 100 year consensus that men and women average the same in general mental ability. They also conflict with evidence that girls do better in school exams than boys.

But Prof Rushton, who was born in Bournemouth and obtained his doctorate in social psychology from the London School of Economics, argues that the faster maturing of girls leads to them outshining boys in the classroom.

And since almost all previous data showing an absence of difference between the sexes was gathered on schoolchildren, the gender difference could easily have been missed.

'It looks like up until late adolescence, the females have the advantage over males because they mature faster, which masks the underlying difference, he said.

Although experts have accepted that men and women differ mentally, with males averaging higher on tests of 'spatial ability' and females higher on verbal tests, it was assumed the differences averaged out, leaving no difference in overall intelligence.

Prof Rushton believes the differences are directly linked to brain size, with other studies showing men having slightly bigger brains than women.

'We know that men have larger brains, even when you take into account larger body size,' said the researcher. 'That means there are more neurons. The question is what these neurons are doing in a man - and they probably have an advantage in processing information.'

It is thought the difference may date back to the Stone Age, with women seeking out men who are more intelligent than them in a bid to pass on the best genes to their children.

'Some people have suggested it evolved because women prefer men who are more intelligent than they are for husbands,' said the professor.

'Just as they prefer men who are taller than them, they also prefer a male who is a little ahead of them in IQ.'

Critics claim Prof Rushton's results could have been skewed by the inclusion of more test results from females than form males.

Prof Rushton, who four years ago triggered a scientific row by claiming intelligence and behaviour are influenced by race, with blacks being more likely to be involved in crime and Asians having a greater chance of high IQs, however, stands by his results.

'These are unpopular conclusions,' he said. 'People should not be made to feel afraid to study controversial issues.

'We have the right to find the truth. One should really look at the facts.'

His work appears to confirm British research which showed men have bigger brains and higher IQs than women, which may explain why chess grandmasters and geniuses are more likely to be male.

The analyses of more than 20,000 verbal reasoning tests taken by university students from around the world revealed that women's IQs are up to five points lower than men's .

Women needn't feel despondent, however, as the scientists believe women can achieve just as much as men - as long as they work harder.

By BEN CLERKIN & FIONA MACRAE
Article courtesy of www.ivillage.com

Happy New Year 2007

the year 2006 ends. on behalf of the other angels, here's to welcome the new year 2007 to all our readers around the world. may this year brings lots of happiness and bundles of joys in your life.

wish you all the best.